Slavery's Most Dangerous Argument

~~Video Description~~

I've made a number of videos before about horrible arguments people use to lessen the evil behind the Transatlantic slave trade. None of them, however, are so dark as this. The rhetorical devices I discuss in this video are a specific brand of 'whataboutism' which extend well beyond the issue of slavery, and which is used even today to justify and explain away many different evils. How does this argument work? What makes it so convincing? And how can we identify it better?

Definitely looking forward to the comments on this one...

~~Sources & Further Reading On This Topic~~

Likewise you'll find my other videos about poor arguments relating to slavery here:

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~~Timestamps~~
00:00 Intro
01:45 The Argument/Rhetoric
05:35 How it Works
09:28 Sponsored Message
11:40 More Examples
19:20 The Power of Prejudice
22:30 The Rhetoric's Lasting Danger
26:46 How to Face This Issue? & Conclusion

[BrandonF]

"Hi everyone, in this video I'm going to talk about WW1 doctrine and what it can tell us about broader military principles"
"Okay cool"

"Hi everyone, today I'm talking about 18th century logistics and how it can show us that people weren't all dumb back in the day"
"Nice"

"Hi everyone, this time it is about an historical argument relating to slavery, and how the rhetoric used to promote a negative practice is actually still used today"
"WOW WHY DO WE STILL NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS? NOBODY ACTUALLY BELIEVES THIS TODAY. WHY ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH RACE? I USED TO RESPECT THIS ((((CHANNEL))))"

[The_Libationist]

Slaves not being subject to tax? I guess they’re ignoring the fact that being a slave is essentially being subject to a 100% tax rate.

[theeNappy]

"Slaves had it pretty good actuality" is a fine argument until one recalls the detail of NO THEY DID NOT.

[solarflare]

I think the best anti slavery argument is the simplest: how would you like to be a slave?

[Fatherofheroesandheroines]

One of my ancestors was a slaver in England. When slavery went away, he became a merchant. According to him, he knew what he was doing. He thought of slaves a commodity. Slavery was terrible and still is.

[rileyernst]

Slaves don't have to pay tax? Yeah neither do cattle or goats, or your pocket watch, or any other of your property living or not. How could you pay tax when you own nothing, when even the clothes on your back, are like yourself, and your children, property of your owner?

[yari]

the funniest thing about the cartoons that portray slaves as having it better than the poor working whites to me is that they basically suggest that whites should just become slaves if they are having a tough time lmao

[beebeebees]

The more I learn about slavery in the Caribbean, the more it seems like literal hell.

[battleon]

This is the kind of stuff they should teach in schools. Not just that slavery was wrong, but the highly effective rhetorical techniques used to convince people to tolerate or even support it. Especially since the tools work just as well today as they did then.

[podemosurss]

12:43 Tea from the East Indies is 100% more moral. We don't use slaves, we use Chinese peasants we addicted to drugs in order to get them to work for drugs.

[Jessymandias]

sort of how "what about homeless vets" 9/10 times will be said by people who oppose help for homeless vets.

[Ehibika]

In many ways, as a black person, it's kinda chilling to hear how unpopular and unconcerned folks were towards slavery then. it feels like there was a real chance it could have continued to this day, and I could have just been born as property for someone else. All while media spreads the idea that people like me are happy and have easy lives, and aren't worth worrying about.

[darthplagueis]

"If we agree with abolitionists they might start advocating for veganism next" is a wild-ass take. 18th century authors were on some crazy shit.

[AviKats]

The gall of portraying abolitionists as out of touch with reality while simultaneously presenting that “lovely” depiction of slave life for black people sure is something.

[FatcatandFriends]

I think that ANY argument FOR slavery is absolutely idiotic.

[Salahudiyn]

The reality of enslavement is way worse than I thought. Seasoning, (public SA) Breeding camps (forced repeated impregnation) and the AGE OF CONSENT BEING TEN, (7 in Delaware). When I realized millions of kids were BORN into these camps, I had to stop. Thank you for posting these so many want to continue this evil.

[gaslightstudiosrebooted]

It’s especially ironic that these posters and pamphlets rail against abolitionists for supposedly neglecting the poor, when in reality the British liberals and abolitionists were all about reforms. Granted not all of those reforms were implemented all at once (plus Britain still had the class system well into the 20th century), but its yet another sign that that pro-slavery apologists were flat out dishonest.

[klopl]

If slavery was so cool you would have tons of non slaves asking to be a slave. And

[GoobusBoobus]

The fact any person would argue in favor for slavery in modern times is truly a testament to a failed education system

[cisco]

"Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally" - Abraham Lincoln